The History of Yamaha Acoustic Guitars: “LEGEND HISTORY”

First, let me introduce the guitar that marked the beginning of the legend.
The FG-180 was produced between 1966 and 1972, and when speaking with members of the folk generation, it’s not uncommon to hear that the FG-180 is commonly recognized as the “Red Label.”
This particular guitar features the “Light Green Label,” which was used for only a little over a year, from 1966 to 1967.
Since it was manufactured in 1967, both the top and back have undergone a minor change to plywood.

From the perspective of a young enthusiast like myself, my strongest impression is undoubtedly Atsuharu Iwasawa of the band “Yuzu” using this model.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t confirm footage of him using it, but his description of the FG-180 as having a “crazy resonance” is a quality that quite a few people do indeed perceive in this model.

So, what does this particular guitar sound like?
I was the one in charge of purchasing it, and I heard its first notes using the same setup the previous owner had used.

Just one strum in Em—including open strings—and it’s “super wild.”

It lacks refinement, but it possesses a sound pressure and sense of openness that you can’t even find in today’s solid-top models.
Even if you try to vary the volume, the playing techniques that worked well on other guitars don’t apply to this one, so expressing dynamics seems like it’s going to be quite a challenge.
However, the body resonance and the sheer physical pleasure you feel when strumming chords hard are hard to match with anything else.
You can enjoy both the thrill of taming this wild child and the joy of letting it run free while adapting your playing to the guitar.
It brings a smile to your face as you play, and before you know it, more than an hour has passed since you started. It’s packed with that kind of charm.

There is no doubt that the development of Japan’s acoustic guitar culture is largely due to the presence of this “one person.”
During his time at Yamaha, he designed and developed the APX, CWE, and L series, among others.
The guitars he creates, regardless of the era, are characterized by three elements: the excitement of something “new,” outstanding “artistry,” and “perfection” as an instrument.
The “works” he was involved with during his time at Yamaha feature his handwritten signature on the label, and the mere presence of that signature lends the guitar a sense of authenticity.

After leaving Yamaha, he launched his own brand, “Terry’s Terry.”
(Titles omitted) Takahiko Ishikawa, Yosui Inoue, Toshio Kadomatsu, Kazuyoshi Saito, Konosuke Sakazaki, Ken Sakurai, Masashi Sada,Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, Chiharu Matsuyama, Kōsetsu Minami, Shōzō Ise, Takuro Yoshida, and others—a veritable who’s who of musicians—have used his guitars, adding color to the Japanese music scene.
There is no concept of endorsement for Terry Nakamoto’s guitars, and he receives almost no media exposure; yet, drawn to the quality and charm of his instruments, many musicians have chosen to play them.

I, too, have been captivated and enthralled by the “Terry Nakamoto” world—so much so that I ordered a TJ-100.
In the next chapter, I’d like to invite you to explore this “Terry Nakamoto” world for yourself.

Now, as mentioned earlier, in 1971, “YAMAHA” entered a new era.
That same year, as the popularity of the FG model became firmly established, the company announced a lineup of “high-end, handcrafted FG” models.
Three models—the FG-1500, FG-2000, and FG-2500 (12-string)—were released, ultimately putting YAMAHA Acoustic on the global map.
In particular, the FG-1500 holds special significance due to an anecdote that will be discussed later.

The FG-1500 features Yamaha’s original compact folk-sized body with a slightly slimmer profile; with a body width of approximately 380 mm and a body depth of about 105 mm, it gives the impression of being close in size to a Martin 000.
The common specifications for all three models include a top made of high-grade Ezo spruce, sides and back made of 3-piece solid wood (Hackberry and flamed maple), and rosettes and trim featuring “inlay”—a highly sophisticated technique that combines different types of wood to form intricate patterns. Additionally, the soundhole bears the handwritten signature of “Terry Nakamoto,” as described in the previous chapter.

So, why does this FG-1500 hold such special significance? First, I’ve heard that during its brief production run from 1971 to 1975, while the high-end handmade FG series appeared in catalogs, it was virtually impossible to find a New one in actual stores.

It was a situation where people would say, “Yamaha made an amazing guitar! But I have no idea what it sounds like…” This series, which had been such a phantom-like presence, came to be widely known for its sound and the existence of actual instruments thanks to one artist’s use of it.

In the 1980s, as information about overseas artists became readily available in Japan, news spread worldwide that “Bob Dylan”—a figure who has left his mark on American music history—had used a Yamaha guitar in his live performances.
Footage confirms that during his 1986 tour in Australia, Bob Dylan played the FG-1500 alongside his supporting act, Tom Petty.
As a result of this event, YAMAHA Acoustic came to be recognized both domestically and internationally as a brand with a level of originality rivaling that of Martin and Gibson.
Yamaha itself seemed to recognize the “special significance” of this moment, and in 1996, it reissued the “FG-1500” in a limited run of 30 guitars, which became a major talking point.

So, what does this 1974 model sound like?
First, just like with the FG-180, here’s a single chord in E minor with plenty of open strings. To be honest, it feels a bit underwhelming.
Part of the reason is likely that the FG-180 was so far ahead in terms of openness and sound pressure. As I continued playing for 5 minutes… then 10 minutes, I began to understand something about this particular model.
This is just speculation, but isn’t this a model that embodies the idea of being both an FG and not an FG?
In terms of frequency range, while other FG models have explosive lows and highs, the “1500” has a relatively higher proportion of midrange.
What makes this a standout is its suitability for solo guitar and melodic roles. It has a solid core, and the allure of the Brazilian rosewood is reflected in the sound, making it quite hard to replace with anything else. I’m very curious to see what characteristics other individual instruments of this model possess.

Next up is another guitar manufactured in 1974.
In fact, even among the high-end handmade FG models, there are slight specification changes between the very earliest 1971 models and those produced afterward. The 1971 specifications featured a flared headstock shape, similar to the Red Label FG, and the bridge also had the same shape as the Red Label.
This particular guitar in our inventory follows the later specifications, with a slimmer headstock shape and a contoured bridge.It features an original jumbo body with a width of approximately 416 mm and a depth of 127 mm.

When it comes to notable artists who have used this model, “James Taylor” certainly comes to mind. You can hear its sound on his 1974 album *Walking Man*.

So, what does this particular guitar sound like? Its body size—a full size larger than the FG-180—instills a sense of anticipation and historical significance the moment you hold it.

First, let’s play an E minor chord.
“Ah, it’s an FG.”

That’s my first impression, as mentioned above. However, it doesn’t come across as unruly. While it has an open, spacious sound and good volume, I also sense rich low-end and a well-balanced tone.
Similarly, after playing for about 5 to 10 minutes, I notice a character completely different from the FG-1500.Of course, this is to be expected given the different body shapes, but it’s also wonderful that, despite its large body size, there’s no sense of clutter caused by sound amplification inside the soundhole.
It might be thanks to the relatively hard rosewood, but filtering out the excess and bringing out only the best isn’t something the wood alone can achieve—it’s likely due to the guitar’s excellent design to begin with. If you want to sing and play without a microphone, you’ll need to master the technique of vocal projection.I got in the mood and tried playing and singing at the same time, but no matter how hard I tried, my voice was drowned out by the guitar. That sensation is perhaps similar to driving a ZEEP.